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European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi is being pulled away from the bank's annual policy conference in Portugal to attend the EU leaders' summit Tuesday, as officials pledge to strengthen their resolve following last week's surprise British referendum result. Draghi is expected to brief his colleagues on the immediate and long-term financial impact for the bloc of the UK's decision to leave the EU. The outcome has left world financial markets in turmoil and led the Bank of England to stand by to shore up Britain's finances if required. As analysts warned that the summit could provide fresh concerns for market volatility, Germany, France and Italy said they wanted the talks to focus on finding answers to the challenges the EU now faces. 'United Europe' A day before the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Premier Matteo Renzi said in a joint statement that Europe was "united" and that there would be no informal negotiations … [Read more...] about EU leaders in first summit since Brexit shock

In spite of concerns by EU members over enlargement fatigue, Finnish Premier Matti Vanhanen said on Wednesday that keeping the bloc open to future members was one priority of his six-month term. "Not only is enlargement a key tool for strengthening stability and democracy but it is also one of the strategic responses to the challenges of globalization," Vanhanen told the European Parliament. "The EU must continue to be an open union. European countries that fulfill the membership criteria must have the possibility to join." In outlining the priorities, Vanhanen departed from Finland's predecessor, Austria, who was less than enthusiastic over Turkey's bid for membership. Austria wanted to limit the size of the EU and wanted its ability to absorb new members to become a decisive issue for future candidates. Opposition to enlargement is seen as a key factor in the unsuccessful referendums over the draft constitution in France and the Netherlands last year. Pushi n g o n with … [Read more...] about EU Must Stay Open, Finland Says As It Takes Over Reins

A unanimously-passed resolution at the Scottish National Party (SNP) conference on Monday called the Catalan referendum earlier this month an "expression of the democratic will of the people of Catalonia" and called on the UN and the EU to resolve the political impasse over the referendum. The referendum on 1 October was said by the Catalan government to have resulted in a 90-percent vote in favor of independence. But turnout in the referendum, which was previously ruled illegal by Spanish courts, was put at just 43 percent after it was largely boycotted by those who want to remain part of Spain. Where Barcelona leads, Edinburgh follows The SNP's Angus MacNeil hinted that Scotland may be encouraged by the news of the Catalonia independence protests. The SNP and other pro-independence parties in Scotland lost a vote to leave the UK in 2014, polling 45 percent against 55 percent who chose to remain. "On the Iberian peninsular, of course, we've … [Read more...] about Scottish National Party urges EU to respect Catalan vote

Boris Johnson's uncertainty about joining the Brexit campaign ahead of June's referendum is not itself news to the British public. But a previously unpublished column printed in "The Sunday Times" has now shed light on exactly how Johnson would have made the case for staying in the European Union. The original text was revealed in "All Out War," a new book by the newspaper's political editor, Tim Shipman. Just two days before Johnson broke from Prime Minister David Cameron's "Remain" camp, he wrote that the United Kingdom's remaining in the EU would be "a boon for the world and for Europe." Johnson, who became foreign minister after the referendum, went on to warn that Brexit could lead to "economic shock" and the breakup of the union between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Directly contradicting comments made this week in which he described the European single market as "increasingly useless," Johnson wrote that "this is a market on our doorstep, ready for … [Read more...] about Brexit boss Boris Johnson hails EU in unseen column

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson's comments came on Thursday at the UN in New York. Previously, May had said only that the UK wouldn't begin formal talks before the end of this year. "We are talking to our European friends and partners in the expectation that by the early part of next year you will see an Article 50 letter," he told Sky News television, referring to the withdrawal clause that would trigger formal discussions for the UK to leave the bloc. "We will invoke that." Johnson, who was one of the main figures campaigning for a so-called Brexit, said he doubted the process would take the full two years allowed by Article 50. The foreign minister also called suggestions that the UK would need to allow free movement of people from the bloc in order to gain access to the EU's single market "complete baloney," saying he rejected the idea of a link between trade and migration. "The two things have nothing to do with each other. We should go for a jumbo free-trade deal and … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson: UK to begin EU exit talks in early 2017

Britain and the European Union concluded their third round of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on Thursday after several days of public squabbling. At a joint news conference with David Davis, the UK's Secretary of State for Brexit, the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the talks had not led to "any decisive progress on essential matters." Barnier reminded the UK that "time is pressing" and reiterated that the UK cannot be "outside the single market and shape its legal order." He said there seemed to be a "kind of nostalgia" on the part of the UK to keep some of the benefits of the single market. David Davis: talks productive Davis, sounding confident and upbeat, called the talks "productive" and, unlike Barnier, focused on various technical details that he said had been achieved. He urged both sides to focus on being pragmatic and "put people above process." He conceded that there were still "significant differences to be bridged." The two sides are hoping to … [Read more...] about Brexit talks yield ‘no decisive progress,’ says EU negotiator Michel Barnier

The Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) said that the latest set of US sanctions against Russia could threaten projects to ensure energy security in the European Union. "Important projects for energy security could come to a standstill if German companies are prevented from participating in Russian gas pipeline projects," Volker Treier, DIHK's deputy chief executive, told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur news agency. Treier recommended that sanctions against Russia should only be applied "with caution." US failed to consult with EU first US President Donald Trump signed legislation on August 2 imposing further sanctions on Russia over its alleged cyber interference in the US election as well its incursion into Ukraine. The law includes measures that would punish companies in the US and elsewhere for any work on Russian pipelines - a move, which subsequently could affect infrastructure built for transporting energy resources to … [Read more...] about US sanctions on Russia could endanger energy security for EU

The EU executive on Tuesday unveiled plans to vet energy contracts that members wanted to sign with nations outside the European Union. The European Commission proposed changes to ensure it would be able to review such national agreements before the signing ceremony with a view to finding out whether the deals complied with EU rules. Right now, the Commission can only examine such contracts after they have been inked. "What it means is that no country should sign an inter-governmental agreement until the Commission has given its opinion," EU Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete told reporters in Brussels. Such opinions would be compiled within 12 weeks and member states "would have to do [their] utmost" to take the Commission's views into consideration. All eyes on Berlin "As EU markets continue to integrate, decisions taken by one member state can have a negative impact on the security of supply in neighboring countries," Canete added, revealing the thrust of his plans. EU … [Read more...] about EU executive targets energy contracts with non-bloc nations

Leaders in the European Union reacted joyfully on Monday to the election of left wing, pro-EU candidate Alexander Van der Bellen in the Austrian presidential election. The former Greens leader had prevailed over his far-right, euroskeptic rival Norbert Hofer in Sunday's election. German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the news. "I am delighted that Mr Van der Bellen won yesterday in Austria," Merkel said during a visit to the German Bundestag ahead of a conference of her Christian Democratic Union in Essen. "I think his decision to do everything in his power to reconcile the Austrian people is correct." President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz congratulated the independent candidate on his win. The result was a "heavy defeat of nationalism and anti-European, backward-looking populism," Schulz said on social network Twitter. French President Francois Hollande said Austrians "chose Europe and open-mindedness". Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said … [Read more...] about EU leaders rejoice at Alexander Van der Bellen in Austrian election

Vera Jourova says she's asking internet companies to do more to stop online hate speech, and that request is not just in her capacity as the European Union's commissioner for justice. Last year, she chose to close down her own Facebook account following a nonstop stream of online abuse. "It was the highway for hatred and I am not willing to support it," Jourova told a news conference on Thursday. "I have still not [re-]opened it." EC: Speed up the takedowns Jourova was one of four commissioners introducing the EU's latest attempt to to find a way to regulate speech online. The move is part of an effort to weed out and punish those who cross the line from potentially uncomfortable speech to what the bloc considers verifiably illegal – when they incite violence or hatred, for example. The European Commission (EC) already concluded a voluntary "code of conduct" last year under which online giants like Facebook and Twitter agreed to try to remove illegal content flagged … [Read more...] about EU internet policing proposals spark free speech concerns